CHAPTER XVI
A TIME FOR QUICK ACTION
"What would he want to play ghost for, Frank?" asked Jerry presently.
"Give it up. There might be one of a dozen reasons. You know the oldstory about Columbus and the egg, and how easy it seemed to stand it onend after being shown? Well, this is something the same. I've no doubtthat after we learn all about the matter, if we ever do, all of us willsay, 'how easy,' just as those Spanish grandees did at the court ofPhilip."
"Mention one or two reasons, then, just to push me along," urged Jerry.
"Well, perhaps he may fear that a search will be made up here for him,and wants to frighten people away. I forgot to tell you that the accountsays Thaddeus Lasher was once an actor of no mean merit," remarkedFrank.
"Say, now, that kind of fits in real well, don't it? Who but an actorwould ever think of playing ghost up here in this lonely region? Butsomehow I seem to feel that there must be a deeper reason than that forit all."
"I do, too, Jerry; but the truth is, I don't seem able to get hold ofit. All the while I feel as if it might be just there beyond my reach,and I keep stretching out my hands without finding a grip. But it'llcome, sooner or later."
"Yes; they say everything does to the one who waits long enough. What ifwe run across Andy again?" queried Jerry.
"All right. We'll treat him just as though we never suspected a thing."
"Then you won't think of putting him on the rack?"
"Certainly not. What business is it of ours what he is doing up here? Wecan guess all we like, but if that convict is hiding here for anyreason, let the authorities catch him. I'd hate to think that I'd beenthe means of sending any poor wretch back to such a life. And remember,he may have been innocent, after all, so that all these years he wassuffering for something he never did."
"Frank, I guess you're right; you nearly always are. Look at Bluffswimming like a duck out there! I heard him say the water was colderthan our lake."
"I should think it would be. This mountain lake is fed by springs, andeven in the dog days I imagine it would feel delightfully cool forswimming. I hope Bluff doesn't go out too far. Sometimes a fellow is aptto catch a cramp when plunging into one of these cold bodies of water."
"But he didn't plunge in. I watched him, and he just waded out, Frank."
"So much the worse, then, for in that way one drives the warm blood upfrom the extremities suddenly, and there is always more danger ofcramps. Always take a header into the water first. It's the safest way.Hi, Bluff!" he called, elevating his voice.
"Hello! What do you want, Frank?" asked the swimmer, who was spurtingwater out some twenty yards from the shore, and seemingly enjoyinghimself hugely.
"I wouldn't go out any further. I don't believe it's safe," calledFrank.
"Oh, bosh! There isn't any ghost out here. I'll guarantee to drown thefirst one that bobs up. Give you my word on it."
He vanished under the water, and presently came up again, snorting andpuffing.
"How deep?" demanded Will, who was also watching, as if in doubt whetherto go in or not.
"Ten feet or so out here. Looks like it might be a hundred out in themiddle. Gee! but it's cold, fellows! Like you were taking a turn in anice bath."
"Better come in closer," advised Frank uneasily.
"Will soon," grunted Bluff, who could be stubborn when he liked.
So Frank sat down again, though occasionally, as he and Jerry talked on,he kept casting glances out toward the spot where the venturesome batherwas disporting himself like some aquatic animal.
"An idea came to me just now," remarked Jerry, who could not get hismind off the subject that had been holding their attention at the timeFrank spoke to Bluff.
"Suppose you pass it along, then?" smiled his chum.
"There may be something up in these mountains that Thaddeus Lasherwants, and he doesn't feel like allowing others to get in on thediscovery."
Frank shook his head, as he said:
"Possible, but hardly probable. Put all such notions as a discovery ofgold in the rocks or sand out of your head. There isn't any formation tomake that even a gambler's chance; and I think the same would apply asto an oil discovery. Men once looked this field over carefully, andpronounced against any hope of that."
"But you have an idea, you said?" suggested Jerry insinuatingly.
"I'm not going to mention that one just yet. But I don't mind tellingyou what came into my mind at first, as the most probable thing,"replied Frank.
"I suppose I'll have to be satisfied with that, then," grumbled Jerry.
"It isn't at all to the credit of either Thaddeus Lasher or Andy, andlet me say right here that I take very little stock in it now."
"But tell me, anyhow, Frank," persisted Jerry.
"Supposing that the escaped convict felt that everybody's hand wasraised against him, and that from this time on he must fight the worldas a crooked man? In such a case he would be apt to feel that since hehad the name he might as well have the game."
"I'm following you, and I must say you put the case just as well asBluff could do, with all his dad's lawyer blood backing him up. Go on,Frank. This thing is mighty interesting to me, I tell you."
"Supposing the hunted man did feel that way, he might be tempted tostart up in some unlawful business here in the quiet of the hills backof Oak Ridge. The only thing that occurs to me would, of course, becounterfeiting," said Frank.
"Had he been accused of that before?"
"Oh, no; or he would have been punished by the United States authoritiesrather than those of the State. But you know men in prison learn manybad things they never knew before going there. Somehow they seem eagerto learn what every old lawbreaker has to tell, in secret. I've beentold that, anyway, and believe it. So Thaddeus Lasher might have learnedabout counterfeiting while in prison."
"Follow up that idea still further, Frank. I've been reading the 'Countof Monte Cristo,' by Dumas, lately, and that gives me an idea. PerhapsThaddeus found a chance to do something for one of the prisoners whilethere. That rascal, in return, may have told him where he had buried histools for making money, and up here in these hills, too!" exclaimedJerry eagerly.
Frank laughed at the conceit.
"Say, you are a great fellow for leaping to conclusions, and yet, whenyou come to examine the thing closer, it doesn't seem so veryfar-fetched, either. Such a thing has happened before Dumas ever wrotehis immortal story, and I suppose it will come about a good many moretimes," he remarked.
"All right. If, in the end, it proves to be something like that, don'tforget, will you, Frank, that I guessed it. Ordinarily, I'm not a verygood hand at solving riddles, and it would about tickle me to death ifby chance I had hit on the answer to the thing that's bothering us now."
"I'll give you all the credit, my boy, depend on that," laughed Frank.
"But I hope it won't turn out to be anything nearly so serious as that,"continued Jerry, loyal to his belief in Andy's reformation.
"Ditto. After all, there's a good chance that it may be something thatwill surprise us. But enough of that for the present, Jerry. Let's turnto what concerns us more closely. There's Jed keeping up a fine fire,and Bluff has his stew of bear meat cooking nicely while he flounders inthe water. If only Adolphus would show up now we'd feel prime."
"I thought I heard a distant shout just then, but it may have been onlythe crows scolding over there in that dead tree. Hark! There it cameagain!"
"Yes, I caught it that time. Adolphus is coming, all right. I'd know hiswhoop among a thousand. He can never drive, it seems, without talkingto his horses; and when he wants them to put on an extra spurt heshouts. That's him, sure," declared Frank, rising to his feet.
"Look at Bluff! How queer he is acting, Frank!"
Frank was startled by these words. He whirled around, all the smile gonefrom his face, for he had been half expecting something of this sort forquite some little time.
Bluff was indeed acting queerly. He seemed
to be in distress, and yethis very obstinacy kept him from calling out for help. He was trying toswim, and at the same time kept doubling up, as though in agony. At suchtimes his head would bob under the water for a second or two.
"He's got a cramp!" cried Frank, instantly recognizing the signs.
"And we have no boat!" exclaimed Jerry, wringing his hands.
Frank was already hurling off some of his clothes. His shoes flew, oneto the right and the other to the left, as though torn from his feet.
"What can we do, Frank?" cried Will, standing there.
"Form a chain, and wade in as far as you can stand; no further. Leavethe rest to me," Frank answered.
Even as he was saying the last word he ran straight for the bank of thelake. The other boys, watching in stunned surprise, saw him give oneleap from the shore, strike the water, and vanish from view.
"Quick, fellows! We must do what he said!" cried Jerry, tearing off hisshoes and wading in, without thinking of removing his clothes.